Happy New Year!
This New Year’s video started as something simple, a quiet slideshow using the studio images I already had. Cinnamon, Sable, and Emberley were there, just as they’ve been throughout the year, familiar faces in the creative world I’ve been building piece by piece.
Then I realized something was missing.
Me.
So I decided to step into the frame.
Working With Sasha
I worked on this video with my AI helper, Sasha, who helps me bridge the space between ideas and visuals. Instead of creating something entirely new, we focused on weaving things together, letting the studio images flow naturally as a slideshow, then gently introducing my own photo into the mix.
I uploaded a picture of myself and asked Sasha to help it feel like it belonged, not separate, not pasted on top, but part of the same visual language as the rest of the studio.
Lighting, framing, posture, and scale all mattered. The goal wasn’t perfection, it was cohesion.
The Height Moment (Yes, I Noticed)
I’ll admit, the first thing I noticed when I saw the final result was that I suddenly looked taller than my very real 5’2”.
I laughed.
That wasn’t intentional, but it was a good reminder of how perspective works. When an image is framed with clean lines, centered posture, and cinematic spacing, it naturally gives a stronger sense of presence. No secret growth spurts here, just a little visual magic.
I decided to keep it, because it felt right for the moment.
A Gentle Way to Start the Year
Once everything felt balanced, I uploaded the video as a short. No heavy edits, no overthinking. Just a moment of reflection, a visual pause before moving forward.
This is why I love working this way. AI doesn’t replace my creativity or my voice, it helps me see it more clearly. It gives me room to experiment, to reflect, and sometimes to laugh at unexpected details along the way.
If you watched the video, thank you for being part of that moment. And if you’re curious about how creative tools can support storytelling rather than overpower it, this little New Year’s project is a perfect example.
Here’s to a new year at Xinae Studios, where imagination blooms, and sometimes makes us look a little taller than we really are 🌱